The Citi Double Cash rewards you for everyday spending

Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed’s editors. Purchases you make through our links may earn us a commission.

The Citi® Double Cash is one of the best no-annual-fee credit cards around for people who want to earn cash back without having to worry about pesky restrictions or fine print. The offer is simple: Earn 1% back on every purchase and another 1% back when you pay the bill. Very few cash-back cards give you more than 1.5% without limits or a laundry list of category restrictions.

Cash back is automatically added to your account for any and every purchase with no program activation required—how’s that for easy? Redemption options include statement credits, direct deposits, checks, or ThankYou Points. Right now, the Citi Double Cash is offering 0% APR for 18 months on balance transfers. All of these card perks come with no annual fee.

Citi Double Cash

Annual Fee: None

Introductory Purchase APR: None

Regular APR: 13.99% to 23.99%

Introductory Balance Transfer APR: 0% for 18 months

Regular Balance Transfer APR: 13.99% to 23.99%

Balance Transfer Fee: $5 or 3% (whichever is greater)

Points: 2% cash back (1% on every purchase, plus 1% when you make card payments)

Who should get the Citi Double Cash card?

Consider applying if you’re looking for a flat-rate, low maintenance card that has minimal fine print. You can just swipe, sit back, and watch as the cash back comes rolling in. The Citi Double Cash card can tag-team nicely with a category-specific cash-back card in your wallet. To help maximize earnings, reach for the Citi Double Cash when you shop outside of your other rewards card's top category.

Citi doesn’t publish a minimum credit score requirement, though you usually have the best shot at qualifying for a rewards card when your credit score is in the good to excellent range (670 or above on the FICO scale). Citi will set your credit limit after a review of your debt and salary.

ADVERTISEMENT

What points do you get with the Citi Double Cash card?

Cardholders are rewarded in two ways—you earn an unlimited 1% cash back when you swipe and 1% cash back when you pay off purchases as long as you make payments on time. Say you use the card to buy a $1,000 couch—you’ll get $10 back right away and then 1% back after each card payment until you clear the balance.

A $1 rewards balance is all you need to convert cash back to Citi ThankYou Points, though when your cash-back balance reaches $25, your options expand. (To meet the minimum $25 cash redemption threshold, you need to charge at least $1,250 to the card and then pay off the balance.) At that point, you can redeem for a check, credit to your Citi checking or savings account, or a statement credit. Keep in mind that choosing a statement credit does not qualify as an eligible payment that earns 1% cash back.

Credit: Reviewed / Naidin Concul-Ticas

What perks do you get with the Citi Double Cash card?

Here, you'll find basic protections that are pretty typical of most major credit cards. Fraud protection will alert you to unusual account activity and there’s zero liability if someone makes unauthorized purchases using your account. Admittedly, aside from these two perks, the cardmember benefits aren’t much to write home about.

The balance transfer special—0% APR for 18 months—is where this card shines. But watch out: Only balances transferred within the first four months of signing qualify for the deal, and there’s a 3% balance transfer fee to consider before moving money to the card. Also, interest will be charged on new purchases unless you pay off those purchases and the balance transfer by the due date at the end of the month.

ADVERTISEMENT

How does the Citi Double Cash compare to other cards?

Compared to other rewards credit cards, you'll get more cash back than the unlimited 1.5% offered by the popular Capital One® Quicksilver® Cash Rewards and Chase Freedom cards. However, the Citi Double Cash doesn’t match up to them as far as the sign-on bonus goes. Spend $500 within the first three months of signing up for the Capital One Quicksilver, and you’ll get a $150 bonus. The Chase Freedom card offers a $200 bonus when you spend $500 within the first three months.

What drawbacks does the Citi Double Cash card have?

Cash back expires if you don’t earn or use rewards within 12 months, and the card also has a 3% foreign transaction fee. Fees incurred while traveling could add up pretty quickly if you plan to jet set with the card in tow.

Although there is a 0% APR intro deal for balance transfers, there’s no interest-free vacation for new card purchases. Interest is charged on new purchases from the beginning, so try to avoid revolving a balance. And remember: Balances you transfer to the account do not qualify for cash back.

ADVERTISEMENT

How does the Citi Double Cash rank in our reviews?

It's one of our favorites for its simplicity and the fact that is has no annual fee—what you see is what you get. We’ve highlighted it as one of the best cards for new homeowners and travelers because it has no rewards cap and the 0% APR balance transfer deal lasts well over a year.

It isn’t technically a travel card; a travel-focused card should come with no foreign transaction fee and extra travel perks. But you could still stand to benefit nicely from earning 2% cash back whenever you book domestic flights or pay for things like baggage fees. Plus, cash-back can be converted to ThankYou Points, which you can use to book airfare, hotel stays, or rental cars. Points converted from cash back can also be transferred to JetBlue’s TrueBlue loyalty program.

If you have other Citi credit cards such as the Premier℠ or Prestige® in your wallet, transferring points gets even sweeter—you may be able to add ThankYou Points earned with your Citi Double Cash to the rewards accounts of these two cards to unlock transfers to 15 international carrier loyalty programs, including Etihad Guest, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, and Qantas Frequent Flyer.

ADVERTISEMENT

Things to Know About Credit Cards

Long introductory period APR rates are only a short-term incentive. Potentially high APR rates snap into effect after the card’s intro period ends, which could cost you a lot in interest if you’ve left your balance unpaid. It’s really important—especially when getting a card for a big purchase—to keep an eye on your finances, and keep an eye on the calendar.

APR rates and credit limits vary based on your creditworthiness. Credit limits and interest rates for each card are determined based on each cardholder's personal situation, so we did not take that information into account when evaluating this card. Remember to pay your card off in full every month, so you will not be charged interest.

Banks have final say on who they accept for a credit card. These recommendations were put together with the assumption that applicants would have average credit or above. That being said, banks decide who they will issue credit cards to using criteria including, but not always limited to, an individual's credit score when evaluating each applicant.

So, should you get the Citi Double Cash?

This is an ideal card for shoppers who spend pretty evenly across all categories since you earn a flat rate no matter where you shop. If you spend heavily in one area—for example, groceries, gas, or dining out—you could probably do better with a category-specific card that gives you 3%, 5%, or 6% cash back for that spending. But for a free and low maintenance cash-back opportunity, the Citi Double Cash is one of our top picks.